


Under The Stars

by HerbBirb



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Cause this ain't about them, Hurt/Comfort, Just not mentioned, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Other Links are there too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 15:54:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20230453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbBirb/pseuds/HerbBirb
Summary: A songfic for Legend Week on Discord.





	Under The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> @linkeduniverse belongs to @jojo56830

The egg loomed high above him, ringed with menacing storm clouds. Lightening struck and it cracked open, a piercing cry echoing through the night.  
He blinked, and the egg vanished.  
Darkness crowded him from all sides.  
Then they appeared.  
Pale figures, standing still.  
The father; the elderly man; the wife; the children; the scholar. /All of them/.   
“Link,” They cried, smiling.  
His heart jumped into his throat.  
No…this can’t be.  
“Y-You’re not real,” He nervously tried to step back, but something invisible held him in place, stopping him from running.  
They drifted closer.  
“What do you mean Link? Of course we’re real.”  
The closer they got, the clearer he could see their dull, hardened gazes.  
“N-No,” He begged, “Don’t make me say it.”  
“Say what Link? You can trust us,” Their lips stretched into wide grins, like they were laughing at something hilariously funny, “We’re your friends.”  
He’s trembling, shaking as he curled into himself, eyes forever trained on those familiar faces.  
“Y-You’re supposed to be dead.”  
The smiles on their pale faces turned cold, cruel.   
They stood, eerily still, in a semicircle around him, hands reaching for him. For a moment, he met their gazes and felt his heart sink.  
“And who’s fault is that, Link?”  
Then they stalked towards him again, blackened, claw-like fingers reaching for him.  
“Get back!” He snarled, trying to hide the fear in his voice.  
“How could you Link?”  
“You were supposed to save us!”  
“Help us Link!”  
No no no. They aren’t real. THEY AREN’T REAL.  
He squeezed his eyes shut, arms raised in front of his face.  
“You killed us Link!”  
“You killed us all!”  
He could feel them breathing down his neck. They’re too close, too close! Get away, please!  
“How could you?”  
They didn’t listen.  
“How could you?”  
Cold hands shook his shoulders, gripped his shirt.  
“How could you?”  
No. No, no, no! Stop it!  
“Stop,” He croaked, “Please, stop.”  
“How could you?”  
“HOW COULD YOU?”  
Finally, finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He screamed.  
“GO AWAY!”  
Panting, he sank to floor, head in his hands. The voices mercifully stopped, leaving him to the eerie silence. For a moment, he just sat there, breathing heavily, his heart heavy in his chest.  
When he finally dared to look up again, they were gone.  
Instead, she was there.  
Her flaming red hair framed her kind face. She looked at him with those glittering brown eyes, filled with joy.  
“Link?” Her full lips stretched into a smile, “You came back.”  
“M-Marin,” He gasped, breathless.  
“Marin.”  
The sight of her chased the shadows away. He stumbled to his feet and fell into her open arms.  
“I thought I’d never see you again.”  
She smelled like sea salt and petunias. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, savoring this moment.  
“Marin,” He didn’t hesitate to say the words he never got to say, that he wanted to say but never got the chance, “Marin, I love you.”  
“Oh, Link,” She murmured.  
He’s shocked when she shoved him roughly away, her brown eyes hard and glinting. So shocked that he opened his mouth, but no sound was made.  
“You don’t really love me,” She spat, “How could you love someone that never existed?”  
He somehow found his voice again, “M-Marin I—“  
“You never loved me.”  
“I-I did! I do!”  
“Then why did you kill me?”  
She looked him dead in the eye, all traces of the girl he once knew gone.  
“I-I didn’t mean to…”  
“You could have stayed with me. Stayed on the island. Why, Link? Why didn’t you stay with me?”  
“I wanted to! Marin, I love you!”  
“No you don’t. If you loved me, you would have stayed.”  
She turned her back to him.  
“Please, Marin,” He fell to his knees, shaking, “Forgive me. I’m sorry, so so sorry…”  
“I will never forgive you,” She hissed, and was swallowed by the darkness.  
“Marin!”  
He’s alone. Alone again.  
No, no, no!  
Don’t leave, please don’t leave again!  
“Marin-“ He sobbed, closing his eyes as tears flowed unbidden down his face.  
“I’m sorry.”  
—  
Legend sat up with a gasp. He frantically kicked his blankets away, hugging his knees close. His chest heaved with each ragged breath, struggling to contain his pounding heart.  
I will never forgive you.  
Her voice still rang clear in his head. Legend whimpered, clapping his hands over his ears.  
Stop it! Please!  
But her voice was long gone, and he was alone.   
A broken sob escaped his throat.  
Not again, he thought, feebly fighting back the tears, Not them. Not her. Not now.  
The darkness didn’t go away.  
Why won’t it go away?  
It’s suffocating the darkness. Suffocatingly present.  
The air was squeezed out of his lungs. His cheeks were wet. His raggedy breaths the only sound in the still night.  
He’s alone.  
Or so he thinks.  
“Legend…?”  
His head whipped up at the call of his name. Hyrule sat propped up against a tree, his eyes half lidded, but concerned nonetheless.  
“Hey, you alright?”  
No, no, no no no no no no.  
Legend clawed at the grass and dirt beneath him, leaving trenches in the ground. His eyes widened in absolute horror as he stared back at Hyrule, who was beginning to stand up.  
“Legend?”  
Shit, shit shit. He can’t let them see, can’t let them know. They can’t know.  
Legend scrambled to his feet, stumbling as he dashed madly for the tree line.  
“Wait! Legend!”  
Heart jumping erratically in his chest, he doesn’t look back as he stepped into the shadows of the trees.  
—  
“Wait! Legend!”  
A yelled ripped itself from Hyrule’s throat as he raced to catch up. His fatigued mind buzzed as he ran, processing what he’d just witnessed.  
Legend was upset.  
They all had nightmares. It sorta came with the job. Hyrule himself has dealt with his fair share of restless nights. It’s during those nights that he’s most grateful for having the others. There’s always someone awake to hold him whilst he tries to remember how to breathe, to whisper soothing words or just sit with him until he’s calm again.  
Hyrule could recall those times he’d be the one offering comfort. He’d gather Wind in his arms and hold him whilst he gasped for air. He’d cling to Warriors’ arm until the knight stopped sniffling. He’d sit with Four and draw in the lamplight, watching the color of his eyes shifting tumultuously before returning back to their usual hue. Sky likes to watch the stars, so they take turns pointing out constellations until he feels ready to go back to sleep. Time prefers a hot mug of milk and easy banter after a particularly painful dream. Twilight gets antsy and restless, but will melt under the feel of fingers threading through his fur. Wild is a hugger, ‘nuff said.  
He knew them. And they knew him.  
Yet, Legend… he’s never upset. Not like this.  
Hyrule felt a pang in his heart at the thought of Legend /actively suppressing/his emotions, hiding from the rest of them.  
Did…did he not trust them?  
He couldn’t accept that. Hyrule swore to himself that when he found Legend, he’d make him see that he had nothing to hide.  
The foliage and bramble ahead of him was a mess of broken branches and falling leaves. It looked like a meteor had crashed through the woods; a meteor known as Legend.  
Hyrule followed the trail unsteadily. His ears caught the sound of ragged breathing, and he held his breath.  
The forest thinned until he stumbled into a wide clearing. Thousands os stars shone overhead. At the center of the clearing, a figure sat hunched over. His shoulders shook silently and when he raised his head to the sky, Hyrule could see the moonlight glinting on tears that trialed down his face.  
Legend.  
Hyrule wanted desperately to run at Legend and wrap him in his arms, yet he wasn’t quite sure how well Legend would react to that. He wasn’t quite sure what to do in this situation.

—

“H-Here is my song… for the asking.”

Legend closed his eyes, struggling to keep his voice from shaking. His fingers dug painfully into his arms. He fought down a few choked sobs.  
She used to sing to him.   
“Ask me and I-I will play.”  
He loved her voice. Loved hearing it as he drifting off at night; loved feeling it wrap him up and block out the stress, the pain and turmoil. Sometimes, he’d sing too, just to hear the way their voices blended together. Harmonious.  
“So sweetly I’ll… make you smile.”  
Legend could picture her face, her laughter that made his heart soar. It didn’t matter if she was laughing at him, his heart skipped a beat just knowing it was him that was making her laugh this way.  
“This is my tune… for the taking,” The tears started slowing down, and already he could feel air rushing back into his lungs. His voice got stronger as he sang, “Take it, don’t turn away.”  
“I’ve been waiting all my life.”  
Somehow, having a piece of her with him, it made everything less painful. Less heartbreaking.  
“Thinkin’ it over, I’ve been sad.”  
Legend’s red eyes opened languidly as his fingers ghosted over the soft grass beneath him. He rocked gently in place, his knees pulled close to his chest.  
“Thinkin’ it over, I’d be more than glad.”  
He raised his face up to the moon, eyes glassy.  
“To change my ways for the asking.”  
Her bluebell eyes. Her billowing flame red hair. Her full lips that stretched into a smile as she sang.  
“Ask me and I will play.”  
He didn’t smile when he sang. He clenched his fists and lowered his voice, energy spent.  
“All the love that I hold inside.”

—

Well. That was… unexpected.  
Hyrule gaped in awe, frozen in place.  
Legend…can sing?  
Not just sing, he thought to himself, Legend can really SING.  
Despite the hoarseness of his voice, it was beautiful, unlike anything he’d ever heard.  
In his awestruck haze, Hyrule took a step back, and his heel connected with a fallen branch.  
SNAP!  
Oh crud.  
The sound echoed through the clearing, like a thunder crack in the silence. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach.  
Legend’s head whipped around, eyes wide as saucers. A strangled cry escaped his lips as his breathing escalated once again.  
The horror on his face was heartbreaking.  
Crap, oh crap. What had he done?  
“Uh…” Slowly, Hyrule inched out into the moonlight, hands open in a desperate placating gesture, “I-I’m sorry—er…”  
He trailed off as he watched, horrified, as Legend’s eyes filled back up with emotion. His chest heaved as his breathes came in short, rapid gasps. Just as it looked like he was about to burst into tears again, Legend froze. The hero sat ramrod straight, his cold gaze trained unflinchingly on Hyrule.  
“What the hell are you doing here?”  
His voice was laced with so much venom, Hyrule physically recoiled. His stomach churned with confusion and concern.  
“L-Legend?”  
“Leave me alone,” Legend growled. He was on his feet in a flash, his back to Hyrule. His muscles tensed like he was gonna run again and Hyrule couldn’t let that happen.  
“Wait! Legend, please,” He blurted out, hastily stepping up to him.  
His heart clenched at the way Legend flinched away from him, eyes manic like a wild animal. He willed himself to take a breath and organize his scrambled thoughts.  
In. Out.  
Heart drumming in his chest, Hyrule fought to keep his voice even and calm, “Hey, it’s okay. It’s just me.”  
As he talked, Hyrule kept making small steps towards Legend, arms wide open in a welcoming gesture. He put on a forced a smile, “What’s wrong?”  
“I-I,” Legend’s eyes wavered for a moment, but then the hardness returned, “Get. Away. From. Me.”  
Undaunted by his biting tone, Hyrule stubbornly stepped forwards.  
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”  
Then he pounced.  
Legend cried out as Hyrule’s arms wrapped around him in an unrelenting embrace. Hyrule grunted with effort as the other thrashed his limbs.  
“L-Let me go! I don’t n-need your pity.”  
“This isn’t pity,” He bit out, “I’m not pitying you.”  
For just a moment, Legend paused in his frantic attempt to escape.  
“Wha—“  
“Please, I just want to help,” Hyrule met his eyes and was surprised to see hesitant hopefulness in Legend’s eyes.  
“And what in the world made you think I would pity you?”  
Legend gaped like a fish, “I-I…I don’t…”  
His eyes turned glassy. A single tear trickled down his cheek.  
“I-I don’t…know.”  
The tension left his body and he leaned heavily onto Hyrule. They both sank to the ground, Hyrule holding Legend against him so tight that he could feel his rapid heartbeat.  
“Hey now, what’s this,” Hyrule tutted, gingerly reaching up to wipe the tear from his face, “It’s alright. “  
Legend sniffed, eyes downcast.  
Hyrule kept his hand there, cupping Legend’s cheek. He hesitantly leaned into his touch, closing his eyes and exhaling shakily.  
“Oh, Legend,” Hyrule crooned, pulling him forwards so Legend could bury his face in his shoulder, “You’re not alone, y’know.”  
Legend didn’t respond. For a moment, Hyrule thought he’d fallen asleep. But then he spoke, his voice muffled, “…Yeah. I guess.”  
That was good enough for now.  
Hyrule placed his hand on the back of Legend’s head, running his fingers through the soft blonde hair.  
“Erm…” Hyrule looked down at Legend, who was peeking up at him nervously, “Di-Did you…um…”  
“Yeah.”  
“Oh.”  
Legend averted his eyes and swallowed thickly, “…How much?”  
“Enough.”  
“…Shit.”  
Hyrule snorted, a small smile playing on his lips.  
“I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” He said and Legend exhaled in relief, “But I’d like to know…Is there a reason?”  
Hyrule hoped he wasn’t intruding, but his curiosity got the better of him and he just had to know.  
It took Legend a while to answer.  
“…She used to love singing.”  
“Okay,” He said, and didn’t pry for more. But he did tighten his hold on Legend, nuzzling him affectionately.   
“…’Rule?”  
“Yeah?”  
“This never happened.”  
“That’s not something I can guarantee.”  
Because Hyrule won’t forget this. He won’t let this happen again.  
Legend just sighed wearily, burrowing his face deeper into his shoulder.  
“I hate you.”  
“Sure you do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Song: “Song For The Asking” by Simon & Garfunkel
> 
> I know it’s been a while since I posted anything, and I apologize for that. Here’s something I’ve been working on. Hope you guys liked it.


End file.
